【1983 Archives】

With speculation mounting that he'll enter the 2020 race for president983 Archives former Vice President Joe Biden posted a video to his Twitter and Instagram accounts on Wednesday addressing recent accusations of inappropriate behavior by several women.

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In the video, Biden begins by apparently defending his touchy-feely persona by saying, "In my career, I've always tried to make a human connection." He also spoked about people who have "reached out for solace and comfort" to deal with tragedies in their life like the ones he's faced. (Biden's first wife and young daughter were killed in a 1972 car wreck.)

Biden then pivots to newer social norms and makes a promise to be more aware of his own actions in the future: "the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. And I get it, I get it. I hear what they're saying. I understand it. And I'll be much more mindful, that's my responsibility."

He then finishes by returning to the message of "connecting with people. That won't change but I will be more mindful and respectful of peoples' personal space."

In the last week, multiple women have come forward to discuss experiences with Biden in which they said he touched them inappropriately. Biden's apparent lack of boundaries has been a topic of conversation before, but they're being explored in the new light of the #MeToo era.

Similarly, Biden's poor treatment of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings, during which Hill was questioned about accusations of sexual harassment she made against Thomas, were recently revisited with regards to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings.

All of that said, one important point about Biden's video is that he never issues a direct apology, either in general or to the specific women who made the allegations.

And that didn't escape notice on Twitter.

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While he seems to hint at a potential run in the video, saying, "In the coming month, I expect to be talking about you about a whole lot of issues," Biden still hasn't formally announced his intentions to run as a Democratic candidate in 2020. Biden previously ran for president in 1988 and 2008.

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